Saturday Review Gameweek 15

Manchester United 0-1 Newcastle

With both teams coming off losses from the midweek matches, this was a good opportunity to bounce back quickly, even more so for David Moyes and Manchester United in front of their home supporters. It was a tight first half and some might say that the Toon maybe edged it but alas it was still goalless at the break and the only interesting thing was the booking of Yohan Cabaye which means he misses the next game. After the break it was a different story. Patrice Evra failed to clear a long ball and it fell into the path of Moussa Sissoko, who then ran the by line and passed the ball into the path of the booked Cabaye who slotted the ball neatly into the corner to put Newcastle one up. Unfortunately for United, that is how this game finished up, and to be honest Newcastle were well worth the win as United were very average indeed! Can January come any sooner for United and Moyes?

Bonus Points: Krul & Cabaye (3), Williamson & Santon (1)

Crystal Palace 2-0 Cardiff

Another important game for Palace and it is these types of games that they need to pick up points, in order to survive the drop. They certainly helped their cause early on as Cameron Jerome opened the scoring after heading home a great cross by Jason Puncheon. Then on 58 minutes Marouane Chamakh doubled the lead with a smart finish after Barry Bannan’s cross was half cleared. Palace are certainly making a good go at survival now and theses three points will go a long way to getting them out the drop zone, along with yet another clean sheet which should be noted by fantasy managers.  

Bonus Points: Chamakh (3), Jerome (2), Caulker & Ward (1)

Liverpool 4-1 West Ham

A very defensive West Ham arrived at Anfield ready to play some counter attacking football and it almost worked in the first half. Liverpool found it quite difficult to break down a very resilient defence and a slight bit of fortune was needed to finally break the deadlock. A shot by Luis Suarez was well saved by Jaaskelainen but the rebound was turned into his own net by Guy Demel. It got worse for the Hammers after the break as a great Steven Gerrard free kick found Sakho at the back post who toe-poked the ball in to score his first Liverpool goal. Gerrard owners will have to wait and see the significance of his injury as the Reds skipper was taken off holding his hamstring. You would think the players did not know which way they were playing in this game as there was yet another own goal, this time by Martin Skrtel, his second within a week. Finally a proper goal was scored as a superb cross by Glen Johnson was headed in at the back post by you know who (Luis Suarez if you’re a bit slow to catch on). Yet another solid performance was capped off Suarez, this time with a mazey run that saw the ball in the back of the net via a deflection off Joey O’Brien, another goal for the dubious goals panel. Kevin Nolan owners must also take note that the midfielder picked up a red card after a terrible tackle on Henderson.

Bonus Points: Suarez (3), Sakho (2), Johnson (1)

Southampton 1-1 Manchester City

A fantastic start by City in this one as Alexander Kolarov provided another assist for City’s man in form Sergio Aguero, who added another goal to his tally. However Southampton bounced back late into the first half and it was an absolute peach of a finish by Osvaldo to level things going into the break, Steven Davis was credited with the assist for the goal. After the break it was Southampton that applied all the pressure in this one, but could not find a winner. With Southampton’s form of late, City would have been the favourites, however their away form continues to be a worry and the points were shared in the end.

Bonus Points: Osvaldo (3), Davis (2), Kolarov, Aguero & Shaw (1)

Stoke 3-2 Chelsea

Chelsea were looking to carry on their winning streak as well as their fantastic record into the month of December. John Obi Mikel passed the ball to Andre Schurlle who finished off very well and gave Chelsea the lead. Stoke were able to get back into it before the half time break as Chelsea failed to clear a corner and the ball fell at the massive feet of Peter Crouch who poked the ball home. After the break and it was Stoke who took the lead in this one with a great finish by Stephen Ireland after receiving a pass from Walters. Schurlle then got his second of the game after the Stoke defence was not able to clear Juan Mata’s free kick and the German hammered the ball home. Then right at the death, an absolute stunner from Oussama Assaidi sent the Britannia into chaos and end Chelsea’s decent run.

Bonus Points: Schurlle (3), Crouch (2), Mikel (1)

West Brom 0 – 2 Norwich

After suffering a demolition job at the hands of Liverpool, Norwich needed to pick themselves up for this one and they started well as Gary Hooper drove home his third goal of the season to open the scoring. Leroy Fer provided the assist for Hooper. It hasn’t been all plain sailing for West Brom either as they have not won in five games now. After the break, Stephan Sessegnon had a fantastic chance to equalise and only he knows how he did not score. The points were then wrapped up for the Canaries as Fer turned goal scorer. West Brom will be kicking themselves here as they had 27 shots at goal but could not convert any. A massive win away from home here for Norwich.

Bonus Points: Fer (3), Ruddy (2), Hooper (1)

Sunderland 1 – 2 Tottenham

A must win game for both sides here, for the home side in order to keep in touching distance with the other teams at the foot of the table, and for Spurs in order to keep within touching distance of the top four and especially for AVB and the safety of his job. It was Sunderland that opened the scoring here when Adam Johnson smashed the ball home at the far post. Just before the break Spurs were back in it as Paulinho stabbed the ball home from a Chadli knock down. After the break Spurs carried on applying the pressure and it finally told when yet another own goal was scored today as John O’Shea turned the ball into his own net from a Mousa Dembele cross. Jermaine Defoe was extremely unlucky not to get his name on the score sheet as he hit the woodwork not once, but twice during the course of the game. The game finished 2-1 and Spurs left with an invaluable three points.

Bonus Points: Paulinho (3), Dembele (2), Johnson (1)

This article was written by Migs